


Weak Against the Elements: Akira Kurusu vs. Everything

by myaami



Series: Weak Against the Elements [8]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Canon Divergence, Daily Life Outside the Metaverse, Elemental Weakness, Gen, Humor, Persona-user problems, Slice of Life, Someone’s Got To Say It, spoilers for seventh palace
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2020-01-13 09:25:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18466120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myaami/pseuds/myaami
Summary: Akira has so many Personas vying for his attention, but all that means is that he is susceptible to all sorts of damage. In the Metaverse, Joker is unstoppable. In the real world, Akira is a mess.(Part 8 of 8, sometimes your weakness is just... ugh.)





	Weak Against the Elements: Akira Kurusu vs. Everything

**Author's Note:**

> Assumes familiarly with the weaknesses from the previous stories in the series.

Akira sees enemies all around him.

Depending on the day, the weather, the circumstances, Akira’s weakness is unpredictable. And it’s _Akira_ , not Joker, who’s in real trouble. Joker can tear off masks and harness the power of the wind to stop a lightning strike, but Akira can’t even stop himself from being literally shocked when changing into a newly washed shirt, static cling catching on his skin and making his hair stand on end.

Morgana gives curious looks when Akira slowly eases himself down onto the couch in his bedroom.

Curious, but knowing, too.

* * *

“Fucking ‘eff, man.”

Akira stumbles as he walks home with Ryuji and Akechi, the latter of whom has been spending more time with the Thieves, seemingly of his own free will.

Akechi helps steady Akira from tripping over his own feet. At first, it seems like just a kind gesture, but Akira can tell that Akechi’s tight hold on his arm is to help steady _himself_ just as much as it is to help Akira.

* * *

Futaba and Yusuke proudly announce that after months of practice, they will cook dinner for everyone at Leblanc. Akira offers to help but they shoo him out of the kitchen and the two of them take care of everything without incident—Akira heard all about Yusuke’s fire extinguisher episode—yet sometimes when the flame on the stove-top flares particularly wide, Akira’s own fingers reach towards the extinguisher.

* * *

Akira’s endurance has greatly improved since his first training sessions with Ryuji and Mishima. Some windy days Akira has no problem keeping up with them, his mask-of-the-moment not interfering, but Ryuji is forced to make excuses to take breaks.

On other windy days, Akira is right there with him, leaving a confused Mishima to ponder their sudden and inexplicable drop in enthusiasm.

* * *

The psychic weakness is more difficult to plan around, right up there with curse since both depend upon the whims of others. It’s no wonder Makoto seems more absent-minded lately; Akira suspects it’s because she is practicing meditation.

Akira tries her method on the days when this weakness comes out to play. Unfortunately, he finds it difficult to simultaneously clear his mind and navigate a crowded place without bumping into everyone around him, and when he tries to pay attention, it leaves him sneezing until he puts on headphones and listens to music. Without lyrics.

* * *

Akira doesn’t have it as bad as Haru, poor thing can hardly go outside on sunny days without immense layering. Akira gets by with his jacket collar flipped up—as much for fashion as for protection—and he found a sun lotion that doesn’t smell too strongly.

Still, some days it’s unavoidable and he finds himself ducking into the shade cast by buildings and trees, and hiding under store awnings.

* * *

As the weather gets colder, Akira notices Ann bundling up more. In addition her usual sweatshirt, she wears another long-sleeve under her uniform and wraps a scarf around her neck. Akira has also taken to wearing layers. Fortunately for him, he has Morgana as a personal heater to starve off the cold.

When snow starts to fall in early December, Ann and Akira look up to the sky, then at each other, and grimace.

* * *

The day before the December election is his worst yet.

The Phantom Thieves decide to celebrate their imminent victory over Shido with a campout at the beach. Ann and Ryuji move benches around the log pit and start a fire for the s’mores, and Makoto and Goro, _thankfully_ , pass out blankets. Who thought a campout in December was a good idea, anyway? But they all wanted an excuse to get out of the city in anticipation of their lives changing after Shido confesses his crimes.

The benches are too close to the fire for Akira’s comfort, so he lays a blanket out on the ground further away, but now he’s done it: he feels his mask swap but it’s not weak to electricity, it’s to wind. Akira shifts around to avoid being in its direct path, Morgana eyeing him. Haru and Makoto join him on the blanket, having first set up a large umbrella under which Akira takes cover from the sun and silently thanks Haru for. Ryuji, Ann, and Goro assemble the s’mores, while Futaba helps Yusuke set up his easel facing the group. A scene like this is surely priceless, yet Akira hopes that Yusuke doesn’t capture the look of anguish Akira is trying hard to hide.

Then, of course, disaster strikes.

Two teenagers race by, one of them screaming, “Told you it was cold! I bet you’re wishing you brought that jacket now, huh?”

Akira sneezes from the prediction then shivers from the cold, and the other kid starts to reply and Akira doesn’t need to hear the entire response, only the critical words: “fuck off” and then he rolls off the blanket, mask swapping again, waves of static shock rolling through him and with no other recourse, he hides. He pulls the blanket around him, throwing the others off. It’s removed after a brief moment, and Akira sees his friends’ concerned faces hovering over him.

He's painfully embarrassed of his bizarre behavior to avoid his weaknesses. All he wanted was to have fun with his friends without the supernatural interfering or being a burden.

“Akira, I don’t know if you noticed, but I’m pretty miserable too,” Ryuji admits.

“Me too.”

“Same here.”

Makoto just sniffles.

“Indeed, the open fire is quite frightening.”

“I'm fine,” Futaba gloats

“Meow.”

“It appears we are all a mess, Akira,” Goro confirms.

Well if this isn’t the height of the Phantom Thieves, then Akira doesn’t know what is. Stealing the hearts of criminals and bringing down dictators, but even more incredible is when they’re thrown into a different kind of battle with no powers to protect them; they may be weak against the elements, but they are learning to be strong and persevere for the sake of their friends and more importantly, for themselves.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you everyone for reading and for all your positive responses!! <3 This has been a really fun idea to explore and share and I'd love to hear which was your favorite, or how the Thieves would respond to different scenarios that life could throw at them, or ideas for alternate weaknesses!
> 
> [@myaami_rose](https://twitter.com/myaami_rose) on twitter :)


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